Of the anti influenza virus drugs available, the M2 inhibitors have a longer history of use than NA inhibitors and include amantadine and
rimantadine.
Treatment of influenza: the therapeutic efficacy of
rimantadine HCI in naturally occurring influenza A2 outbreak.
Oseltamivir (Tamiflu[R]) dosage: [greater than or equal to]15kg = 30 mg twice daily for 5 days >15 to 23 kg = 45 mg twice daily for 5 days >23 to 40 kg = 60 mg twice daily for 5 days >40 kg = 75 mg twice daily for 5 days * Zanamivir ([dagger]) (Relenza[R]) dosage: Two 5 mg inhalations (10 mg total) twice daily for 5 days * Amantadine dosage: 1 to 9 years = 5 to 8 mg/kg body weight daily divided into 2 doses (not to exceed 150 mg/day) [greater than or equal to] 10 years and < 40 kg = 5 to 8 mg/kg body weight daily divided into 2 doses (not to exceed 150 mg/day) [greater than or equal to] 10 years and [greater than or equal to] 40 kg = 200 mg daily divided into 2 doses *
Rimantadine ([double dagger]) dosage: 1 to 9 years = 6.
The data also show that virus is resistant to amantadine and
rimantadine but the organism continues to remain susceptible to oseltamivir and zanamivir.
The CDC recommendation advised doctors to combine Tamiflu with
rimantadine (an older antiviral) or to substitute Tamiflu with Relenza (zanamivir), an antiviral that arrived on the market about 10 years ago.
The researchers examined the response of HCV to a panel of compounds including the well-known anti-viral drug,
rimantadine, which targets a similar protein in the flu virus.
However, four drugs have been approved to treat people who get the flu: amamadine (Symmetrel),
rimantadine (Flumadine), zanamivir (Relenza), and oseltamivir (Tamiflu).
This drug and its congener,
rimantadine (not available in South Africa), specifically inhibit the replication of influenza A viruses (they are ineffective against influenza B viruses) in low concentrations of about 0.
FDA said beginning this summer, it is proposing to ban veterinarians from prescribing off-label, nonhuman uses of Tamiflu, amantadine and
rimantadine.
Tom Jefferson and his colleagues from the Cochrane Vaccines Field examined evidence from trials on the efficacy of all four flu drugs: Tamiflu, Relenza, Amantadine, and
Rimantadine.
Avian viruses are resistant to two anti-influenza drugs: amantadine and
rimantadine.
The H5N1 virus is resistant to the antiviral medications amantadine and
rimantadine.
